5 Timeless Truths to Remember During Challenging Times

Everything changes, often sooner than later.

Sometimes we can hear or read something several times in many different ways before it finally sinks in. The truisms below are pieces of timeless wisdom that we have gathered throughout our lives, but which we tend to forget when things change abruptly.

Here are five timeless truths that can help us collectively cope with the evolving reality of the coronavirus outbreak:

1. Everything will change again, probably sooner than later.

Remember that nothing ever stays the same.

Embrace change and realize that it may even be necessary. While not always obvious at first, change helps us grow.

We never know when life will spontaneously shift course. Relationships, jobs, and circumstances come and go.

Life keeps on going. It rushes rapidly from peace to utter pandemonium. We just never know what lays ahead.

Sometimes all it takes is one small moment or event to change the entire course of our lives. In fact, these events are continually happening, just like the current coronavirus outbreak.

Remember that no matter what you may be going through right now, it will change. Things will shift. That’s a certainty.

Every hard step is necessary, and there is a time and place for everything. Just keep your head up, and let life unfold as it should with all of its illuminating beauty and brilliance.

2. Changing our response gives us control over our lives.

Our lives are driven by each choice that we make.

Have patience when necessary and know that it’s not only about waiting, but also staying true to your values.

Let your actions speak louder than your words, and let your inner sense of serenity be what you hear at the end of each day.

Remember that taking risks is always worth it. Even if you have no idea where you’ll end up, even when there are many unknowns, be brave enough to listen to your heart.

The most powerful moments in our lives occur when we have the courage to release what we cannot change. When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves and to grow more than we ever imagined.

3. We can gain strength from life’s challenges.

Challenging times are like strong storms that blow against you. It’s not just that these storms hold you back from places that you might otherwise go, but they also tear away all but the essential parts of your self, so that afterward you are revealed as you truly are and not merely as you might prefer to be.

Sooner or later, we realize that we must endure the storms so that we can grow.

We are here to be challenged by life. And when we are rejected, hurt, or betrayed, we are reminded of all of the good things that we’ve had in our lives, all of the love, and all of the lessons.

It is during the depths of the strongest storms that we discover an enduring light within us, and it is this light that illuminates our journey. We must release our past so we can embrace a brighter future.

4. Life is short, and our time isn’t guaranteed.

We all know that we will pass on eventually, and yet we are almost always surprised when it happens to someone we know.

Start living your life today, right this moment. Don’t ignore death, but don’t let it dictate your life either. Be bold, act with courage, and do the things that you’ve always wanted to do.

Put your heart and soul into whatever you are doing now. Bring excitement into otherwise ordinary moments. You don’t have to be doing anything new; sometimes the greatest joys can be discovered in the mundane.

You can stay safe and still be captivated by life and enjoy every moment.

5. It’s not necessary for us to have all of the answers right now.

Life flows more freely when we accept that we won’t always have the answers. When we allow ourselves to appreciate freedom from “knowing,” we can fully experience life.

We may not be aware of where our life is headed, but what’s important is that we accept and embrace the unknowns of life and the beauty in not knowing.

Some of the greatest things that happen in our lives are the ones that we never expected. As long as we are willing to grow, life will carry us forward onto the next adventure.

There are no wrong paths in life, only routes that we didn’t know we were meant to follow.

We can never know what the future holds. It could be radically different or close to the present. But as we continue being blown forward by the winds of time, the pieces always come together and unthinkable positive outcomes will likely happen when we are open to it.

Even if things don’t end up as we thought, we can still look back and wonder, “I lived, I loved, and how did I get through all of that?”